Sheet-feeding mechanism.



J. WHITE.

SHEET FEEDING MCHANSP/l.

wou FILED DE01. 19:6. .RENEwEDsEPT.12.191a.

APPLK Patented Dee. 24, 1918.

unirme trg `JOSEPH WHITE, OF PISCATAVJAY T01/V NSHP, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HALL PRINT ING PRESS COMPANY, OF DUNELLEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW J ERSEY.

assenso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

sneer-resinas Macrrarrrsin.

Patented Dee. 241, 1918.

Application led December 7, 1916, Serial No. 135,591. Renewed September 12, v1918. Serial No. 253,801.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, lossen lNnrrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piscataway township, State of New Jersey, (postotllce address, Boundbrook, `New Jersey,) have invented certain new and useful 1111-' provements in Sheet-Feeding Mechanisms; and l do declare the following to be a full, true, and exact. description of said invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art vto which it appertains to make use of the same.

rl`his invention relates to mechanism for positioning sheets before they are presented to machines for operating on such sheets, and particularly to devices for positioning I these sheets so that they will be printed in pers le and rot-atesin unison with the cyl-v l accurate register in printing machines.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide mechanism which will receive the head of a sheet from suitable sheetpresenting devices, and insure that the sheet will be properly squared before being presented to the front gages.

Another object of the invention is to enable sheets to be fed with very little distancesV between the tail of one sheet and the head of a succecdingsheet, and yet provide suflicient time in which to register the sheets.

lith these and other objects in view, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsas will be more fully described. and pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 represents the side elevation of an illustrative forni of my invention, some of the parts being broken away;

F ig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig.. 1;

Fig. 3 isa sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. e is a sectional elevation through a portion of the mechanism. shown in Fig. 1.

The corresponding parts are referred to both in the drawings and in the specification v similar reference characters.

Referring to Fig. l, 10 represents the cylinder of a. printing'machine having sheet grippers 11. 12 is a sheet feeding cylinder composed in rings mounted on the shaft 13 in the usual manner; The cylinder 12 has sheet gripn manner. Below nder 10, all in the usual this instance of a number of the cyliinder-12 is a series of tapes'l passlplaced on the tapes 15 in any suitable man'- ner, as for instance, by a sheet separating device. .er series of' rods 18 serve as over guides above the sheet passing along the tapes 15 and in the same plane with the upper portion of the tapes 15 is provided a. series of bars 19 which constitute a platforni on which the sheet rests after it passes olf the tapes 15. 1n the path of the sheet, passing along the bars 19 is a pair of sheet front gages 20, which may be adjustable, as is well understood and which maybe of. any of the well known types.

Below the bars 19 passes the upper length of a pair of chains 21 which constitute an endless carrier for one or more sheet front stops represented generally by 22, these sheet stops moving in the path of a Sheet being forwarded by the tapes ,15 along the bars 19. These chains 21 pass over the sprocket wheels 22B-211. rEhe sprocket wheel 21 is mounted on the shaft 25 -which receives motion from the shaft 13 through a pair of intermediatey gears 26--26, which engage with a gear 27 on a bushing 52 through which passes the shaft 25. r1`he gear 27 meshes with the gear 28 connected to a` gear 29, which, in turn, meshes with a gear 30 fastened to the shaft 25.

With the gearing so far described, the chains 21 would have a continuous motion,

it' being understood that. in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the cylinder 12 is rotating continuously. For reasons which will be pointed out later, l desire to give the chains 21 a speed which at times is less than normal, and to thisend, I mount the gears 28 29 on a shaft 53, which is held in the ends of a pair of arms {il- 31, pivoted on the center of the shaft One of the arms 3l has an. arm 32 by which the arms 31 may be oscillated throughthe connection 33 and the crank center 34. on the shaft 13.. W'ith the construction thus described, it will be obvious that, es the cylinder 12 rotates,

the chains 21 will have a speed at times rotating clockwise, as shown in Fig. 1, the

speed of the chains 21 will be retarded'as the crank center 34 passes from the position shown in Fig. 1' to its `lowermos't position. Then, as it moves upward on the left hand side of the shaft 13, the chains 21 wlll be vcorrespondingly accelerated in speed.

The detailed construction of my preferred form of the stops 22, which are mounted on the chains 21, is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The' stop proper is formed byV the face 35, formed at the rear of a gap composed of an upper jaw 36 and a lower jaw 37. On a projection 38, forming 'part of the sto 22, 1s mounted a pair of rollers 39 on a s aft 40. This shaft 1s mounted. in an elongated slot and is prevented from rotating by a pin 41 which projects upwardly above the `member 38 so as to contact with a fiat spring 42, which tends normally to hold the shaft 4() with the rollers 39 thereon, downward.

Below the -rollers 39 is mounted a pair of "rollers- 43. The axles 44 for these rollersare smaller than the holes inthe rollers themselves, so that the rollers may have a slight motionup and down.

Extending along the side of the machine, asshown in Fig. l, are yieldingly mounted shoes or tracks '45 normally held upward by v4position by the pin 47. This normal upward springs.' 46, and limited in their upward position is such that, `as the rollers-43 are moved along from the right hand of Fig. l

.I to the position shown in'Fig. l, the bottom of each roller will contact with a track 45 andthus be caused to roll along 1t. The springs 46 serve to produce sufiiclent pressure to insure this rotation.

The endsof each of the axles 44 are provided with blocks 51 which engage with the under sidelf the bars 19 so thatthe and since these must be adjustable lcrosswise of the machine in order to provide for d1f ferent widths of sheet, I preferably mount the tracks 45 in a member 48 which is adi justable laterally of the machine on the fixed rods 49. It will also be understood that preferably. the chains 21 with the sprocketwheels 23 and 24 are also mounted for simultaneous adjustmentlaterally with the member-48.

Other members for bringing the sheet against the gages 20 are also lllustrated, but these parts are the same, as is the preferred construction of the fcylinder 12, as the corresponding parts shown in my Patent No. 1,178,563. A further description is unnecessary, since these do not form part of my presentinvention.

In my preferred form, I provide on the shaft 25 a roller 50 which may be covered with felt or any other suitable material, and which, by reason of its connection with the shaft 25 1s made to rotate.

The operation of the preferred form illustrated is as follows:

Sheets S will be passed along the tapes 15 at a very high rate of speed. The pair of stops 22 are moving at a slower speed than the sheet and the tapes 15 tend to force the sheet against the faces 35 both to locate it and also to square it. To insure the accuracy of the squaring operation, however, I provide the rollers 39, 43. These may be `separated so that the sheet passes between them 'and contacts'with faces 35. They may also of the front edge beingv placed properly agalnstits respective stop face and the sheet being squared. Moreover, these rollers serve 'tohold the sheet in 'this squared relation.

Between the time when the sheet is received by the stops 22 until the' stops 22 reach the gages 20, the rate of motion of thechains 21 is slowed down by the mechanism shown.

at the left of Fig. 1. Consequently, as the stops 22 reach and pass the gages 20, they are moving at a very slow speed, so that the head of the sheet is presented to the gages v20 in such a way as'not to disturb the position of the sheet. Further progress of the chains 21 carries the stopsA 22 around the sprocket 24 from whence they will pass to the position to receive the next sheet.

The sheet having been placed against the gages 20, the final front gaging mechanism,

which I have shown in Fig. l, and which Yis l the same 'as that shown in my Patent N. 1,178,563, will operate to place the sheet with absolute certainty against the gages 20. Then4 any suitableside gaging mechanism eration to side gage the sheet, and it will then be ready to be taken by the grippers 14 on the cylinderv l2. In theA arrangement ers slip on the sheet. This insures both sides which may be employed will come into op- I have adopted to illustrate my present invention, these grippers are arranged-to lift the front of the sheet. above`thega-ges, as.

the head of the sheet is attaohed'by the grippers to the cylinder 12, asdescribed in vmy said Patent 1,178,563. Thereupon the head of the' sheet is carried around to the position shown in Fig. 1, when it-will 4be transferred to the fingers 11 0n the cylinder 10. It will be understood that front 1 if desired.

gages of the usual llifting-type may be used ln order to provideiam'ple time in which i to bring the sheet to rest against the gages 20, and tovsi'de gage it before it is taken by the grippers 14, have provided the roller 50 to cause the tail of the sheet to move at "-a fasterv rate than that of the head after the sheet rests on '15 der 12. This causes the tail of the sheet to the head of the sheet is taken by the fingers 14., Xt will be understood that the body of the roller 50. rl`his roller 50 being on the shaft-25, is at certain times given'anaccelerated motion so that it will cause the body of the sheet to travel at a faster rate than the periphery of the cylinbe passed quickly over and away from the gages so thatthe next sheet canbe presented to the gages and have suiicient time in which to-be side gaged before it is taken -by the grippers 14. The diameter of the.

roller 50 is such that, when given the accelerated motion, its surface will move faster than that of the cylinder 12.

Preferably I construct the machine so that, as the tail of the sheet is fed forward at this faster rate, the body of the sheet will be permitted to buckle into a loop as shown in Fig. l.

The embodiment of my invention may be varied Within wide limits. While I prefer to use the endless carriers 21 for my front stops 22, it will be seen that many other forms of carriers may be substituted. While I have found the rollers 39-43 a very sim- 'ple and efficient means for placing the head of the sheet against the front stops, it will also be understood that `any other suitable mechanism may be used for the same purpose or'theymay be omitted entirely.

Similarly, the mechanism for giving a nonuniform rate of motion to the carriers 21 may. be of any suitable construction, al-

. though l have found the construction illustrated ysimple and efficient.

' While preferably employ the roller 50 function may i being carried by the grippers lli. ln such event, no supplemental means s uch as the roller, -50 will beA required to accelerate the speed of the tail ofthe sheet.

Vlt will also be understov d that if is desired to use a roller such as 50, it may be mounted separately and rotated continu o usly ninasuitable speed. By applying it to the shaft 2 5, however, I simplify the mechanism.

It will also be obvious that the arrangement for slowing down the sheet may be used without the device for rapid moving of the tail of the sheet and vice versa.

While l have shown a cylinder 12 as a suitable carrier to take the sheets from the gages 20, it will be understood that any other' form of means for taking the head of the sheet and moving it away from the gages may be used, and that after the head of the sheet is taken by such sheet-taking means,

.it may be presented to any form of mechanismwhich will operate on the sheet.

It will also be understood that the tail of the sheet may be moved quickly past the gages 20 by giving the sheettaking means a non-uniform motion, 'so that the head of vthe sheet will be taken while such means are moving at a relatively low speed, and these means be accelerated thereafter to cause the tail of the sheet to move at a high speed.

I claim: i

1. 1n a sheet feeding device, a front gage, means for engaging and moving the' head of a sheet away from said' gage, and means for accelerating the speed of the tail of the sheet after the head has been so engaged.

2. lin a sheet feeding device, a sheet carrier, means thereon to attach the head of a sheet to said carrieigstationary sheet gaging means to gage the heads of sheets fed to .i

said carrier and means to move the tail of a sheet attached to said carrier past said gaging means before the head of a succeeding sheet is presented thereto.

3. In a sheet feeding device, means to grip and carry the front edgeof a sheet over a predetermined gpath, means tol buckle the of the sheet after the front edge is in means, to cause the body to longer path than the front body said gripping travel over a edge, said gripping andparrying means'and said buckling meansA being constructed and arranged to permit the buckle to straighten out before 'the front edge 0f the sheet ,is released.

1. In a sheet feeding device, means to grip and move the head of a sheet at a uniform,

continuous speed over a predetermined ath, accelerating'means to cause the tail o the sheet to move at a greater speed than the head during aportion only of the travel of the sheet while it is under the control of said gripping and moving means, said gripping and moving means and said .accelerating means being constructed and. arranged vto v cause the tail of the sheet to travel at the same speed as the head after the speed of the tail has been accelerated andbefore said gripping and carrying means release the sheet.

5. ln a sheet feeding device a stationary than. Said carrier and arrange and engage the tail of the sheet after the sheet front gage, a sheet carrier, slheet grip'- pers on said carrier arranged to engage the head of a sheet positioned against said gage to move it away from said gage at a continuous uniform speed, and means whereby the tail ofthe sheet is caused to move past said gage at afaster speed than the, head of the y sheet is moving.

6. In a sheet feeding device, a sheet carrier, means to attach the head of a sheet thereto and means moving at a glreater speed head is attached to said carrier, said carrier continuing to carry the sheet after said taill engaging means has disengaged the sheet.

7. In a sheet feeding device, a sheet carrier, means to attach the head of a sheet lthereto and a bodily lstationary roller constructed and arranged to engage the body of the sheet after the head is attached to said carrier and move it at a speed greater than y that of the head.

'8. In a sheet feeding device, an endless carrier, a front stop thereon and means traveling with the stop arranged to engage fric- Ytionally a sheet fed toward said stop. and

draw the front edge of the sheet against said stop. j

9. In a sheet feeding device, an endless traveling belt, a pair of Wheels spaced apart to support and drive said belt, a sheet front stop on said belt and means to feed a sheet toward said front stop at a higher speed and in the same direction said front stop is moving, a pair of rollers on said belt adjacent said stop andconstructed and arranged to 'hold frictionally a sheet passed between them, and means to rotate said rollers at a predetermined point in the path of travel of saidrollers to move the front edge of the sheet against said stop.

10. In a sheet feeding device, an endless carrier, a front stop thereon, sheet forwarding means to feed a sheet toward said stop 'and sheet feeding rollers adjacent to andA movingwith said stop, constructed and arlranged to feed a sheet against said stop.

11. In a sheet feeding device, a moving front stop, sheet forwarding means to feed a sheet toward said stop at a speed greater than that of said stop, a pair of co-acting, normally non-rotating rollers adjacent said stop and moving therewith, each of said front stop, a air of rollers adjacentthereto r n and vmovlng t erewith and a yieldingly supported track adjacent the path of one of said to contact incienso and rotate it as said roller moves with said stop. y l

13. In a sheet feeding device, a nontraveling front gage, sheet forwarding means to feed a sheet toward said gage lat a high speed, a moving front stop, ,means for supporting and moving said sto g towardv and past said gage in the path fo lowed by sheets being forwarded by said sheet forwarding means, and away from said .gage

out of said path,I said means being con-` structed and arranged to move the stop ata relatively high speed as it is engaged by a sheet movin toward said gage lin said path, which spee is less than that of the sheet, and at a relatively low speed as it passes said gage.

In combination, a rotary sheet carrier a non-traveling front gage adjacent tosaid 1 .carrieigzsheet forwarding means to feed a sheet toward said gage at a high speed, a. movingr frhnt stop, means for supporting and moving said stop towardA and past said i gage in the path followed by sheets bein forwarded by said forwarding means, an

away from said gage out of said path, said means being constructed" and arranged Ato.

move the stop at. a relatively high speed as it isengaged by a sheet moving toward said gage in said path, which vspeed is less than that of the sheet, and at a relatively low 4speed as it passes said gage, and grippers on said carrier constructed and arranged to grasp a sheet positioned against said .gage

high speed as it receives a sheet from said' j' sheet forwarding nicansland at a relatively' low speed as it passesV said gage, said stop being provided with means to engage andy hold the head of the sheet against it.

16. In a sheet feeding device, a front gage,

sheet forwarding means to feed a sheet toward said gage at a relatively high speed, 'a

sheet stop, an endless carrier adapted to' support and move sa-idstopfn apathbey tween said sheet forwarding means and said. gage, and means to 4move said carrier at a non-uniform speed 'constructed and arranged, to Acause said stop to recelve the vhead of a sheetfroln said sheet, forwarding means at a relatively highspeed and to deposit it against sald gage at a relatively low speed. A

p 17. In asheet feeding device, a fronte gage, sheet forwarding means to feeda sheet toward said gage, .sheet engaging means rollers and adapted tojengage it frictionally adapted to receive the head of a sheet from 13o assegno said sheet forwardinpV ineans7 means to move said sheet engaging means up to and past said gage at a relatively low speed Compared sith the speed ot. said engaging means alien receiving the head of the sheet, said engaging' means being constructed and arranged to nieve over the sheet aft-er the edge thereof is against said gage.

lb; In a sheet feeding device, a non-traveling from. gage, riotional sheet forwarding means adapted and arranged to feed a sheet toward and against said lgage at a high rate of speed, movingl front stop, means for supporting and moving said stop toward and past said gage in the path tol-l lovsed by sheets being forwarded by said sheet forwarding means, and away from said gage ont et said path, saidL means being constrneted and larranged to move the stop at a relatively high speed it is engaged hy a sheet moving toward said gage in said path.y which speed is less than that oi the sheet` and at a relatively low speed as it passes said 19. in combination, a rotary sheet carrier` a non-traveling front gage adjacent to said carrier` frictions' sheet Atorwardin ,Y means to feed a sheet toward and against said at a high rate of speed. a moving' t'ront stop, means foi-supporting and Inoving said stop to 'ard and past said gage in the path 'followed hy sheets being forwarded hy said forwarding; means. and away from said ont of said path, said means being constructed and arranged to inove the stop at a relatively high speed as it is engaged by a sheet moving" toward said gage in said pat-h, which .speed is less than that of the sheet, and at a relatively low speed as it passes said gage, and grippers on said earriei eonstrueted and arranged to grasp a sheet positioned against said gage and carry it in the direction in which it was forwarded by said sheet forwarding ineans.

20. ln a sheet feeding device, va non-traveling1 front gage, a series of high Speed substantially horizontal belts constructed and adapted to carry a sheet placed thereon at high speed rictionally toward and against said gage, a moving front stop, means for supporting and moving said stop toward and past said gage in the path followed by sheets being forwarded by said belts, and away from said gage out of said path, said stop passing said gage while a Asheet is against said stop, said means being constructed and arranged t0 move the stop at a relatively high speed as it is engaged by a sheet 1noving toward said gage-in said path, which speed is less than that of the sheet, and at a relatively low speed as it passes saidgage.

2l. ln a sheet feeding device, a feed table, a non-.traveling gage at one end of the feedtahle, a member to receive the head of the sheets from the feed table, and the gage,

sheet feeding tapes for advancing a sheet frictionally at a high `rate of speed overl said feed board toward and against said gage, a moving front stop, means for supporting and moving said stop toward and past said gage in the path 0f a sheet on said feed tahie and away from said gage out of said path, said stop passing said gage While a sheet is against said stop, said mea-ns being constructed and arranged to move the stop at a relatively high speed as it is engaged by a sheet moving toward said gage in` said path,- which speed is less than that of the sheet, and at a relatively low speed as it passes said gage. I Y

. JOSEPH WHITE.

Viitnesses H. E. Scaizononen, Amor, L. ALPAU'GH. 

